Digital Spy's most anticipated games of 2013: Part two

In part one of our look ahead at 2013 in gaming, we explored the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot, the much delayed BioShock Infinite, a series of promising hack and slash releases, and Gears of War: Judgement, the prequel to the original trilogy starring Baird.

The second half of the year promises to be even better, with post-apocalyptic adventure The Last of Us, Pikmin 3 and Grand Theft Auto 5 staving off the summer games drought, before the release of Elder Scrolls Online, Total War: Rome 2 and a new Battlefield. Welcome to part two of Digital Spy's look ahead at 2013 in video games.

After a slightly underwhelming 2012, the PS3 looks like it will be a force to contend with in 2013. It all kicks off with The Last of Us, the latest action adventure game from the makers of Uncharted. Taking place in a post-apocalyptic USA, the game stars Joel and Ellie, two survivors keen to avoid ruthless scavengers, infected humans and a relentless military force as they make their way across the country. With Naughty Dog's reputation for delivering blockbuster adventure games, The Last of Us is a likely contender for game of the year.

Remember Me

Release date: May 2013Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Remember Me is a third-person action-adventure set in Paris circa 2084. Players take on the role of a female 'memory hunter' named Nilin, who has had her memory stolen and must battle the Memoreyes corporation to get it back. With people free to buy and sell memories, Nilin can also purchase new special moves, which can be put together in the game's combo lab. With former Splinter Cell, Rainbow Six and Heavy Rain staff overseeing its development, Remember Me should strike a nice balance between action and storytelling.

Pikmin 3

Release date: Q2, 2013Platforms: Wii U

It's remarkable to think that it's been more than eight years since we've commanded an army of Pikmin as the loveable Captain Olimar. Nintendo Land's 'Pikmin Adventure' gave us a taster of what to expect from the next Pikmin release, with the GamePad used to launch the little critters at enemies and obstacles. The Wii U sequel, meanwhile, will introduce new types of Pikmin - including the hard as nails Rock Pikmin - as well as a new fruit-based challenge mode and replays.

Grand Theft Auto 5

Release date: TBA 2013Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

Undoubtedly the most anticipated release of 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 takes place in the city of Los Santos and its surrounding hills and countryside, a gaming world said to be bigger than the environments of Red Dead Redemption, GTA: San Andreas and GTA 4 combined. It will also feature three playable characters, with users able to switch between them at almost any given time. And if all that wasn't enough, Rockstar is also promising to redefine open-world multiplayer.

GRID 2

Release date: TBA 2013Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

Described as a landmark title for Codemasters in terms of technology, there are a lot of reasons to be excited about the release of GRID 2. The previous GRID won countless industry awards, while fellow Codemasters titles, such as the F1 series, have propelled the company to the front of the pack in terms of the racing genre. With the focus on quality over quantity, GRID 2's courses promise to be the most detailed and immersive of all time. Check out one of the recently released gameplay videos below if you don't believe us.

Anybody who has played a Total War game will have an idea about what to expect from Rome 2 when it releases next year, although nothing will prepare you for the sheer scale of some of the game's battles. Creative Assembly has packed an enormous amount of detail into every individual soldier, with single units reacting with horror at the inevitable bloodshed and pride at the conclusion of an inspirational speech. With land and naval assaults working in harmony for the first time in the series' history, Total War: Rome 2 is shaping up to be one of the most epic strategy games of all time.

Little is known about the upcoming Battlefield sequel, other than the fact that Medal of Honor: Warfighter users will get first dibs on the beta. With Battlefield 3 multiplayer content still in the pipeline, we're unlikely to hear more about Battlefield 4 until the E3 Gaming Expo in June, but you can be sure that the maps will be the biggest ever, and supported by the finest online modes.

Release date: TBA 2013Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

The Elder Scrolls Online

Release date: TBA 2013Platforms: PC

Skyrim's recent 'Dragonborn' expansion reminded us why we love the Elder Scrolls series so much. Perhaps the one thing that's missing, however, is the ability to interact with thousands of fellow adventurers, something that will be rectified in the Elder Scrolls Online. Of course, launching a massively multiplayer online role-playing game is no easy task, but with the entirety of Tamriel to explore and all of that Elder Scrolls lore to draw from, Zenimax Online Studios stands a better chance than most.

Although recent Final Fantasy games haven't quite been able to match the likes of Final Fantasy VII, VIII and IX, Square Enix made huge strides with Final Fantasy XIII-2, which is why we can't wait to round off Lightning's story once and for all. Working alone for the very first time, Lightning has 13 days to save the world from destruction. The doomsday countdown will take place in real time, with each in-game day equating to approximately two hours. Time management will play a huge part in the game, leading to different experiences during each playthrough.

Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

Release date: TBA 2013Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

When we first heard rumblings of a Walking Dead game, we naturally assumed it would come in the form of a first-person shooter, so to say that we were pleasantly surprised by TellTale's excellent character-driven adventure series would be an understatement. Activision's homage to The Walking Dead is much more action-orientated, but with series favorites Merle and Daryl the focus - voiced by Michael Rooker and Norman Reedus - this upcoming shooter could be one of next year's biggest hits.

Beyond: Two Souls

Release date: TBA 2013Platforms: PS3

Developed by Quantic Dream, the team behind Heavy Rain, Beyond: Two Souls is a character-driven adventure game with a supernatural twist. Following 15 years in the life of Jodie Holmes, portrayed by Juno actress Ellen Page, Beyond: Two Souls explores the mysteries of death and tackles the subject of what lies on the other side - focusing, in particular, on Idan, a mysterious entity linked to the lead. Little else is known about the game, other than the fact that the story will be almost entirely interactive, with enough scripted sequences to fill three or four movies.

Ubisoft stole the show at the 2012 E3 Gaming Expo, thanks in no small part to Watch Dogs, its hacking and surveillance sandbox game. Taking place in an alternate version of Chicago, the game's aim is to make players question who it is that controls the technology we so heavily rely on. Early gameplay footage shows lead character Aiden Pearce jamming mobile phone signals to create diversions and hacking traffic lights to cause chaos.